2013-08-31

Scroll Bars missing in Adobe Acrobat Reader

Scrollbars missing in Adobe Acrobat Reader (version XI version 11, Acrobat Reader DC).  Vertical scroll bar missing.

Problem:
Vertical scrollbars missing when viewing a multi-paged PDF file.

Reason:
Adobe is by default assuming you have a touch-device but I have no idea why Adobe would set this as a default.  Regardless of a touch-screen, a scroll-bar is useful on any device, no matter what method is used for scrolling.  
 


Quick Solution for current Document:

This change only affects the current viewed document.  See Permanent Solution, below, for a better method.

A.  Acrobat Version 11 and older:
      Within Reader, top-menu, choose "View", Show-Hide,
      Uncheck [ ] Touch Mode

      If the top-menu is not visible, press F9.

      If the "Touch Mode" option is not available, especially in newer version of
      Reader (DC), see the preference setting, below.


Permanent Solution - All Documents, All Versions of Acrobat Reader:

1.  Within Acrobat Reader, select Top-menu "Edit", Preferences
     If the top-menu is not visible, press F9.

2.  In the Left-Nav Categories section,
     Choose [General]

3.  In the Basic Tools detail section,
     Change "Touch Mode" from "Auto Detect" to "Never"

4.  In the Left-Nav, [Documents] section,
     Uncheck [ ] "Allow documents to hide the menu bar, toolbars and windows controls"

Close Acrobat Reader, and re-open a pdf to test.


Other Recommended Acrobat Reader Options:

I recommend making these additional changes to Acrobat's default settings.

a.  In Left-Nav [Page Display],
    Set Page Layout to "Single Page". 
    Set Zoom to a default value, such as "85%" 
    (literally type the value, even if not on the pull-down selection list)

b.  In [Forms], set "Auto-Complete" to "Off". 
     This is a security measure.

c.  In [JavaScript], uncheck [ ] Enable Acrobat JavaScript.
     This is a security measure and I doubt any documents you read will be impacted.

d.  In [Search], change "Maximum Cache Size" from 100MB to 10MB,
     Then click "Purge Cache Contents". 
     The default value is obscenely large.

e.  In [Usage Information], consider turning off 'Yes, I would like to share anonymous..."


Hiding the Annoyingly Stupid Right-Pane tools bar:

For Acrobat versions 11 and older (this does not work for Reader DC)

1.  Confirm Windows Explorer (File Explorer) shows hidden and system files
     (steps not detailed here).

2.  Tunnel to C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 11.0\Reader\Services


3.  Delete these 2 files:
    DEXShare.spi
    DEXEchoSign.spi

     If these files are not visible, confirm Step 1.

For Acrobat Reader DC, there does not appear to be a way to hide the right navigation bar.  Perhaps it is time to consider the Foxit Reader?

Related:
Keyliner Article: Time to remove Adobe Acrobat Reader 
With all of the problems with Acrobat Reader, I made the change.

2013-08-16

Reset Linksys Wireless Router Password

Discussion: How to reset a wireless router's password.  Or, how to reset a wireless password without having to reset the router to factory defaults.

Every few months I get asked this question:  How can I discover my wireless router's password.  Or, more accurately, how can I reset the wireless password without resetting the router to factory defaults.

The short answer:   You can't -- not unless you know the router's admin password.

(Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit)

The longer answer:

* If you know the router's Admin password:

You do not have a problem.  Log-in to the router and view the wireless passwords.  (See first-time-setup, below for steps)

** But the real reason you are reading this article is probably because you have forgotten both the Admin and the Wireless access passwords.  This puts you at a distinct disadvantage.

Without the router's admin password, the only way to recover the Wireless password is to reset the router to factory defaults and re-configure all wireless devices. In other words, rebuild the network from scratch.


The real answer:

If you need to reset to factory defaults, follow the instructions in this excellent keyliner article -- skipping the hardware steps a, b, and c, jumping directly to the router-reset in Step 1.

These steps work basically the same with all brands of routers - with a minor difference in the initial IP address and default password.

Sounds scary, but it is relatively easy, provided you are some-what computer cognizant and are not afraid of following those instructions.  If you are familiar with the steps, it takes about a half-an-hour to an hour to rebuild the network, plus another minute or two for each connecting device. You will have to revisit Xboxes, Wii's, netflix devices, TV's, laptops, tablets, thermostats and cell phones to all recognize the newly built network.



What if you made a backup of your Router's Configuration (saving as a .cfg file)? 
Can I recover from this?


If you knew your Admin password, you could recover the config file - provided you could log into the router and restore it -- in other words, a catch-22.  And good luck opening the (linksys) .cfg file in a text editor; the file is encrypted, as it should be.  The real problem with this method is nobody ever makes a backup of their router-config (nor do I), so likely, this isn't even a possibility.  Readers have posted comments about other brands of routers, below, but I have not seen evidence that the passwords are visible in clear text and am suspicious.




Okay, I get it.  Any other hints?

Step 8 from my Router-First-Time-Setup article, deserves to be repeated:


"The passwords should not be lost or forgotten.  I recommend recording these values and store in an envelope near the router or use a luggage tag:


Router Address:           192.168.200.1
 

Broadcast SSID: _______________________

Starting DHCP Address:  192.168.200.100

Admin Password: __admin /______________

24G Wireless Password: ________________

5G Wireless Password: _________________

Guest Wireless: _______________________


Example:
Broadcast SSID:  keyliner
Starting DHCP Address: 192.168.200.1
Admin Password:  airplanes5g
24G Wireless Access Password:  airplanes24
5G Wireless Access Password: airplanes5g - or other password
Guest Wireless Access Password:  airliner





Why the Secrecy?


The router's admin password and the router's wireless are encrypted and if you could hack them, everyone could.  By definition, wireless things are a security nightmare to begin with.  The vendors and the operating systems on your computers, phones, and other devices, have taken great lengths to make sure this stuff is secured.  From all my research, they've done a reasonably good job.


Sorry there is not a good answer to this problem.
T.